Automobile frame



June 30, 1925.

E. H. BELDEN AUTOMOBILE FRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26,. 1921 Jung30, 1925.

1,543,820 E. H. BELDEN AUTOMOBILE FRAME Filed Feb. 26, 19213'sheets-sfieet 2 J JNVENTOR.

t, Dw Ro .HBELpE/v.

W BY 6M7 ATTORNEYS.

June 30, 1925.

1,543,820 E. H. BELDEN AUTOMOBILE FRAME Filed Feb 26, 1921 5Sheets-Sheet s 'NVENTOR. EDWARD HBELDEN.

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES.

1,543,820 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HALE BELDEN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLYS-OVERLANDCOMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE FRAME.

Application filed lebruary 26, 1921. Serial No. 448,019.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BELDEN, residing at Toledo, in the countyof Lucas, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automobile Frames, of which I declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile frames and hasreference in particular to the toe board supports and the supportingmeans for the battery box.

An object of the invention is the provision of supporting means adaptedto receive either a complete toe board extending entirely across the caror one extending but part way across the car, whereby, with a singlechassis, a coup body having a space alongside the toe board for thereception of a swinging, folding seat may be employed as well as touringand sedan bodies in which the toe board extends entirely across the car.

Another object is the provision in connection with the toe boardsupporting means as above characterized, of means for supporting abattery box or other receptacle.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction andeconomies of manufacture, will appear as I proceed with the descriptionof that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of thepresent application I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure I is a more or less diagrammatic plan view of the forward portionof an automobile chassis embodying my invention, the position of theengine and a portion of the transmission mechanism being indicated bydotted lines.

Figure II is a side elevation with the hood removed. I

- Figure III is an elevational view, partly in section on the lineIII-III of Figure I.

Figure IV is a fragmentary section of a portion of an automobilechassis, parts of the frame being broken away to more clearly illustratethe invention.

Figure V is a perspective view of a complete toe board supported inaccordance with my invention.

Figure VI is a similar'view, showing one section of the toe boardomitted in order to accommodate the swinging seat of a coup body;

Figure VII is a view in section on the Figure V.

Like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the drawings, 10 represents the side rails of an automobile frame,which are connected at their forward ends by transverse braces 11 and 12and at a position about m'idway of their length by another transversebrace 13.

Directly behind the cylinder block of the engine 14, I join the two siderails 10 by the arched connecting member 15 upon which the dash 16rests. This arched memher is secured to the rails in any suitablemanner. It is braced on one side by a metallic bracket 17 secured to thetop of the side rail as well as to the arched member. On the other sidea relatively low metallic bracket 18 is employed, this bracket alsobeing fastened to the side rail as well as to the arched member. 1

I fasten to the arched member 15 intermediate its'ends a metallicsupporting bar 19-which is inclined at such an angle as to bring its topside into the same plane with the top of the bracket 17. The foot of thebar 19 is supported by, and attached to, the inner extremity of an arm20 of channel shape which is securely anchored to the side rail 10 nearthe rear of the bracket 18. The arm 20 serves an additional purpose inmy construction in'that it constitutes a support for one end of areceptacle 21 which I utilize preferably as a battery box. Thereceptacle may have metallic plates 22 secured thereto and extendingbeyond the ends thereof through which extend bolts 23, which may besecured to the arm 20 and brace 13 in any suitable manner. stanceconnection is made with the brace 13 through a spacing sleeve 24 restingupon a short length of 2 bar which is secured to the brace 13 by rivets,spot welding or other fastening means.

Where the drivers seat is at the left of the car as would be the case inthe machine illustrated, the control apparatus is also lo- In thepresent in cated entirely at the left, that is between the bracket 17and the bar 19. Upon these two supports I mount toe board sections and26. The latter section is providedwith an opening 27 for the steeringpost, openings 28 and 29 for the clutch and brake foot pedals,respectively, an opening 30 for the accelerator pedal and an opening 31for the starter button. In the construction illustrated, the lowersection 25 is without openings of any kind. It should be understood thatthis exact arrangement is not essential to my invention, as this part ofthe toe-board might be made in one piece instead of two pieces or theopenings might be partially or altogether through the lower sectionwhere two sections are employed.

Now, when a coup body is to be used'no other toe-board section thanthose just 'de'- scribed is employed, the remaining space in front ofthe arched member 15 being filled with a three-sided cover 32 having afloor portion which slopes upward somewhat towards the front so as tofit over the bracket 18. The space thus afforded is utilized for thestorage of a small folding seat (not shown) which swings around abracket located near the forward door post on that side of the car.

In the event that a touring body or a sedan body is to be used on achassis of the same design the cover element 32 is not employed, but inits stead a toe-board section 33 is employed in order to cause thetoe-board to extend entirely across the car. When this is to be done atriangular bracket 34 is bolted to the top of the side rail 10 andagainst the arched member 15 outside of the vertical ortion of thebracket 18, and the toe-boar 33 is then secured to the bracket 34 andthe bar 19 by any suitable means. Thus, there is produced a completetoe-board extending across the full width of the automobile,substantially of the same appearance as the ordinary toe-board.

It will be perceived therefore that by means of my invention a singlechassis may be manufactured which will be adaptable without change fortourin and sedan oodles in which the ordinary toecard is employed andfor coupe bodies as well where part of the toe-board must be eliminatedin order to provide space for swinging seat. Attention is also directedto the fact that the lower end of the intermediate supporting bar it? issupported entirely from one side oi the automobile terierence with J aswill evident "-1 use I of the ne l.

. 13 Q not available tor ot i a... a.

adapted to be of the flooring indicated by the numeral 35 in Figures IIand VI;

I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention which isherein shown and described is susceptible of considerable variationwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore I desire toclaim my invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated b theappended claims.

Having tiius described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tocover by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automobile, a frame including side rails, an inclinedtoe-boardsupporting member located above one of said side rails and a secondinclined toe-board supporting member located between the rails, thesteering post and all control leversof the automobile being locatedbetween said inclined supporting members.

2. In an automobile, a frame including side rails, an arched connectingmember between the rails and two inclined toe-board, supporting memberssecured to said arched member, one above one of the rails and the otherintermediate the rails, the steering post and all control levers beinglocated between said inclined members.

3. In an automobile, a frame including side rails, an inclined toe-boardsupporting member mounted upon one of said side rails, a second inclinedtoe-board supporting mcmber located between the rails and an arm securedto and extending inwardly in a transverse dircction from the other railfor supportinn the lower end of the second inclined member.

4. In an automobile, a frame including side rails, an inclined toe-boardsupporting member mounted upon one of said side rails, a second inclinedtoe-board supporting mem ber located between the rails, an arm securedto and extending inwardly in a transverse direction from the other railfor supporting the lower end of the second inclined member, and areadily detachable toe-board support mounted upon the last named rail.

5. In an automobile, a frame including side rails, an inclined toe-boardsupporting member mounted upon one of said side rails. a second inclinedtoeboard supporting member located between the rails, an arm secured toand extending inwardly in a transverse direction from the other rail forsupporting the lower end of the second inclined em er, a readilydetachable toe-board supadapted to be mounted upon the last named rail.and a container mounted upon "be behind said arm and partlysupautomobile, a frame including side lined toe-board supporting memoisaid side rails, a

toe board supporting memltd eeeeeo bee located between the rails, enei'm secure& to and extending inwardly in e transverse direction fromthe other: mil for supporting the lower end of the seconol inclinedmember, a brace joining the said mils in the rear of said arm and meansin connection with said brace end said. erm for supporting it receptacletheiebetween.

Z. in r" automobile, e toe-boaid mode in 3 aligned ports dividedl longi-1e automobile snol supportlepenclent of the other, all of iti'olapparatus extendin through one l pert-s whereby the other part may beremoved tot the purpose of providing ad clitionel space.

8. An automobile frame comprising a toebosrti built in two separateindependent sections in relative alignment, one section how ing openingstherein. for control apparatus,

the other section lying laterally enjecent thereto and removable.

9. in on automobile, a frame, three in clinecl toe-board supportingmembers ceriiecl by the frame, one of which is loceteol between thesides of the frame, said inclined members being adapted to supportsepsi'ete toe-boards, one edge of each boerol resting upon the inclinedmember located between the sides of the frame.

10. in on automobile, e frame separate toe-boards inclined relatively tothe heme, and a plurality of inclinetl supporting mom hers for thetoe-boards carried by the some one of which forms a, support for each ofsaid boards one of said; toe-boardsbeing readily removable.

ln testimony whereof I ill-fill my signature,

EDWARD PALE BELDEWO

